Edward b



(No Model.) I

E. B. CRANE. TACK EXTRAOTOR AND HAMMER.

No. 429,508. Patented June 3, 1890.

YERS co., mum-mum, wlsumu'rau n. cl

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EFICE.

EDWARD B. CRANE, OF CALIFORNIA, MISSOURI.

TACK EXTRACTOR AND HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,508, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed November 11, 1889. erial No. 329,922. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I; EDWARD B. CRANE, of California, in the county of Moniteau and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tack Extractors and Hammers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved tool for driving and extracting tacks or nails; and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved tool. Fig. II is a top view. Fig. III is a detail bottom view. Fig. IV is an end view of the lower end of the instrument or tool. Fig. V is a transverse section taken on line V V, Fig. II.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a handle, which may be of any desired shape or form. On the lower end of this handle are claws or prongs 2, between which is a space or slot 3. One orboth of the prongs is provided with an enlarged cheek 4, the outer face 01 faces 5 of which are used for driving the tack or nails, and to the shape of these faces my invention partially relates. This part of the invention consists in making the face or faces 5 on a double inclinationthat is, they incline outwardly toward the handle part of the tool and inwardly toward the lower face of the toolas shown clearly in Fig. III. The object of thus forming these facesis to facili-' tate the use of the tool in driving the tacks or nails close up or near to an obj ect-as, for

instance, in driving tacks in putting down a carpet it is often difficult to manipulate a tool without striking the mop-board or Wainscoting; but with the use of an instrument having a surface such as I have shown and described this difficulty is entirely obviated, as the natural manner of handling the tool does not make it liable to strike the vertical surface which is close to the tacks or nails being driven.

Another part of my invention relates to the manner of constructing the claws and their fulcrums, which facilitates the removal of the tacks or nails Without handling them. To this end I make a double fulcrum, one beinglocated at 6, Fig. I, where the prongs are curved, and back of this bearing-surface the lower face of the tool extends backwardly in a substantially horizontal plane to a point 7, which forms a second fulcrum.

Now in extracting a nail or tack the extreme points of the instrument are placed beneath the head of the nail or tack and a downward and forward thrust on the handle of the tool will cause the upward movement of the tack or nail and an advancement of the prongs beneath the head of the tack or nail, the shank of the nail or tack fitting in the slot or space 3. Then a farther downward movement on the handle end of the tool causes the fulcrum 7 to press against the floor-0r other object from which the tack or nail is being extracted and gives a long fulcrum or purchase, which is not liable to bend the tack or nail. As the tack or nail is removed, it falls backward in the slot 3, which is increased in-size back of its outer end and frees itself, so that it fits (when extracted) perfectly loose in a depression 8 at the inner end of the slot 3, but is prevented from falling therefrom by its head being larger than the slot or the hole of the depression, and by inverting the tool the tack or nail may be dropped into a vessel or receptacle without handling it.

A tool thus constructed is cheap and durable and particularly adapted for the purpose for which it is intended to be used.

I claim as my inventionl. A tack or nail hammer consisting of a handle having'the faces 5 at the sides inclining outwardly toward the handle part of the tool and inwardly toward the lower face of the tool, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a nail or tack hammer and extractor, the combination of a handle, the claws provided with the fulcrums 6 and 7, and cheeks having inclined surfaces 5, said claws being curved and formed to leave a slot or space between them, which is increased in size back of its outer end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

EDW'ARD B. CRANE.

In presence of THos. CUMMINGS, O. L. PHIFER. 

